Mr. John O'Kane:

I thank the Chairman and members for inviting RTE to meet the joint committee.

We note the Bill and the significant step that, if enacted, this legislation would represent in terms of formalising the National Concert Hall's status as a national cultural institution. Many of us within the arts community recognise that the NCH hasde facto operated as a national cultural institution, but we recognise that this Bill will formalise that in a particular way, as has just been outlined. We have submitted an opening statement in writing, and I do not propose to go through it.